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Business and Intangible Asset Acquisitions and Joint Ventures - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands											6 Months Ended
	Oct. 05, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 05, 2015 EUR (€)	Aug. 03, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 27, 2015 EUR (€) Country	Jun. 01, 2015 USD ($) gaming_client_location	Mar. 25, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 25, 2015 EUR (€)	Oct. 10, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2014 AUD	Sep. 30, 2014	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total purchase consideration			$ 33,000
Number of Countries in which Joint Venture Operates | Country				3
FIS Gaming Business
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of customers acquired | gaming_client_location					260
Payments to acquire businesses, gross					$ 237,500
Gaming bureau service agreement term										10 years
Total purchase consideration					$ 237,500
Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire businesses, gross			3,600
Estimated acquisition date, fair value			$ 29,400
Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Cumulative Percentage Ownership after All Transactions											100.00%
Total purchase consideration						$ 118,880
Percentage of controlling financial interest acquired						95.00%
Ezidebit
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire businesses, gross								$ 266,000	AUD 302,600,000.0
Total purchase consideration								$ 265,982
Percentage of controlling financial interest acquired								100.00%
Customer-related intangible assets | FIS Gaming Business
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											15 years
Contract-based and customer-related finite-lived intangible assets | Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											16 years
Contract-based and customer-related finite-lived intangible assets | Ezidebit
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											15 years
Acquired technologies | Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											10 years
Acquired technologies | Ezidebit
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											15 years
Trade name | Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											7 years
Trade name | Ezidebit
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life											5 years
Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners			49.00%
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent			51.00%
Euro Member Countries, Euro | Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire businesses, gross | €		€ 6,700,000.0					€ 110,200,000.0
United States of America, Dollars | Realex Payments
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire businesses, gross	$ 7,500					$ 118,900
Global Payments, CaixaBank S.A., and Erste Group Bank AG Joint Venture | Global Payments and CaixaBank S.A. Joint Venture
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire interest in joint venture				€ 30,000,000							$ 32,000
Joint venture, ownership percentage				51.00%
Global Payments, CaixaBank S.A., and Erste Group Bank AG Joint Venture | Erste Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Joint venture, ownership percentage				49.00%

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